My mother was ripped off on iPad purchase

macrumors newbie

Hi All, I apologise for the rant but this is making my blood boil and I wanted to tell people the story.

My mother is 64 years old and ever since she first saw my ipad she's wanted one. To hear her speak an iPad is a miraculous futuristic device filled with wonder.

This new year she told me she was thinking of getting one and asked me which one she should get. I told her to get the new iPad, wifi only, 16gb on the basis that she would not want to pay for a sim card and planned predominantly to use it for photo editing (but not storing) while she was out and about - particularly when she went on holiday. She wrote this information down.

The next I heard from her she'd gone to a small computer shop in Sevenoaks, Kent, UK with an ipad advert in the window rather than going to an apple store because she wanted to "support local business". This is where things began to go wrong.

Firstly the man in the store upsold her the 3G model on the basis that it was selling at a discount (£459 instead of £499) and she could use it on holiday without explaining to her that she'd need to get a simcard and would then incurr roaming charges! I told her to change the order (the store didn't actually appear to have any ipads in stock, they took a credit card payment and promised to deliver) or better yet get a refund and we'd go to the applestore together. The store ammended her order to a 16GB Wifi only model and refunded £70 to her card so that she'd paid £389 as they didn't want to cancel the order. So far so mildly annoying.

The real problems began when she picked the ipad up it turned out not to be the new ipad she'd asked for but to be an iPad 2, 16gb wifi only. When i saw what she'd been sold i immediately called the store and told them that she must have been handed the wrong ipad and we would come into exchange it. The store insisted otherwise: 16gb, wifi only ipad 2 for £389. £10 less than she should have been able to get a retina ipad for.

To hear the store tell it she came in specifically asking for an ipad 2 3g model, that the store had made the order and that she'd then changed her mind to an ipad 2 wifi only model and that the store had generously adjusted the order. This is ridiculous as my mum would quite simply have walked into the store with the piece of paper upon which she'd written down "new ipad, 16gb, wifi only" following our conversation.

I asked the store how they could describe selling a 2 year old ipad for £60 more than the retail recommended price of £329 as "discount on the apple price" which is how they'd described it to my mother or how they could justify selling someone an old product they hadn't asked for at only £10 less than the retail recommended price of the brand new ipad.

They told me that £389 is a great price for an ipad 2, 16gb wifi and that i know "nothing about retail".

I asked them to do the decent thing and either exchange my mother's ipad for a new one for which i'd be willing to pay the retail reccommended price of £399 or give my mother a refund. They refused on both counts.

My mum is upset because she feels that she has bought old technology at new technology prices when all along she was trying to buy the new ipad. She feels pretty stupid even though it's not her fault and the purchase is tainted. The iPad is no longer a thing of wonder for her, instead it's a reminder that someone ripped her off.

thread startermacrumors newbie

I understand 'your' frustration but your mom would probably have been happy with the Ipad2 as well. /shrug.

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And if they'd only charged her ipad 2 prices i might not be quite so angy. Getting the ipad you didn't ask for at £60 more than everyone else paid for it and being told by the store you are getting a discount is not honest or cool. If you think it's so "shrug" then you are welcome to buy my old ipad off me... only £600, it's a steal.

macrumors G5

The next I heard from her she'd gone to a small computer shop in Sevenoaks, Kent, UK with an ipad advert in the window rather than going to an apple store because she wanted to "support local business".

I asked the store how they could describe selling a 2 year old ipad for £60 more than the retail recommended price of £329 as "discount on the apple price" which is how they'd described it to my mother or how they could justify selling someone an old product they hadn't asked for at only £10 less than the retail recommended price of the brand new ipad.

They told me that £389 is a great price for an ipad 2, 16gb wifi and that i know "nothing about retail".

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There is nothing wrong with selling two year old technology at the right price. If they sell it £60 above Apple's recommended price, that is still legal. You should obviously not buy at that price, but it's legal. If they claim it is sold at a discount, when it isn't, that's illegal and you should get your money back. Small claims court it is.

macrumors member

You need to get in touch with customer service, customer protection agency or whatever it is called in you country and explain the problem. You'll solve the problem in a month tops. They usually have cases like this with older people being ripped off. The same happened to my grandma when she bought a 10 euro Samsung phone with a black and white screen 6 months ago for almost 100 euros with a 2 year contract. It was resolved in 2 weeks.

macrumors newbie

Hi All, I apologise for the rant but this is making my blood boil and I wanted to tell people the story.

My mother is 64 years old and ever since she first saw my ipad she's wanted one. To hear her speak an iPad is a miraculous futuristic device filled with wonder.

This new year she told me she was thinking of getting one and asked me which one she should get. I told her to get the new iPad, wifi only, 16gb on the basis that she would not want to pay for a sim card and planned predominantly to use it for photo editing (but not storing) while she was out and about - particularly when she went on holiday. She wrote this information down.

The next I heard from her she'd gone to a small computer shop in Sevenoaks, Kent, UK with an ipad advert in the window rather than going to an apple store because she wanted to "support local business". This is where things began to go wrong.

Firstly the man in the store upsold her the 3G model on the basis that it was selling at a discount (£459 instead of £499) and she could use it on holiday without explaining to her that she'd need to get a simcard and would then incurr roaming charges! I told her to change the order (the store didn't actually appear to have any ipads in stock, they took a credit card payment and promised to deliver) or better yet get a refund and we'd go to the applestore together. The store ammended her order to a 16GB Wifi only model and refunded £70 to her card so that she'd paid £389 as they didn't want to cancel the order. So far so mildly annoying.

The real problems began when she picked the ipad up it turned out not to be the new ipad she'd asked for but to be an iPad 2, 16gb wifi only. When i saw what she'd been sold i immediately called the store and told them that she must have been handed the wrong ipad and we would come into exchange it. The store insisted otherwise: 16gb, wifi only ipad 2 for £389. £10 less than she should have been able to get a retina ipad for.

To hear the store tell it she came in specifically asking for an ipad 2 3g model, that the store had made the order and that she'd then changed her mind to an ipad 2 wifi only model and that the store had generously adjusted the order. This is ridiculous as my mum would quite simply have walked into the store with the piece of paper upon which she'd written down "new ipad, 16gb, wifi only" following our conversation.

I asked the store how they could describe selling a 2 year old ipad for £60 more than the retail recommended price of £329 as "discount on the apple price" which is how they'd described it to my mother or how they could justify selling someone an old product they hadn't asked for at only £10 less than the retail recommended price of the brand new ipad.

They told me that £389 is a great price for an ipad 2, 16gb wifi and that i know "nothing about retail".

I asked them to do the decent thing and either exchange my mother's ipad for a new one for which i'd be willing to pay the retail reccommended price of £399 or give my mother a refund. They refused on both counts.

My mum is upset because she feels that she has bought old technology at new technology prices when all along she was trying to buy the new ipad. She feels pretty stupid even though it's not her fault and the purchase is tainted. The iPad is no longer a thing of wonder for her, instead it's a reminder that someone ripped her off.

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Call retail shop again, tell them you intend to file case fraud with the credit card company. They might exchange the iPad 4 with you. Otherwise, DO NOT use your "new" iPad2, file fraud case with your credit card company.

macrumors 68040

Europe has more consumer protection laws than we have here in the US. Surely a visit to the store mgr is in order to see if the matter can come to a proper solution. I also like the idea of contacting your mom's CC company to see what your options are.

In the past when I was younger and more daring I have gone into business establishments that I felt wronged me and created a ruckus and got their attention and got the results I wanted. One in particular was a car dealership with many customers in the showroom. Got a 4K discount real fast.

If none of the above works i'd take them to court and let a judge decide. Nowadays, courts are real sensitive to those who take advantage of seniors.

thread startermacrumors newbie

thanks for the comments. The business was Accounts Computers trading as "Sevenoaks Computers". I'm going to get my Mum to try her credit card company, but my fear is that it's all a bit "he said, she said" for them to refund the purchase.

Selling something for a stupidly high price is not illegal and the fact that the wrong goods were provided is difficult to prove when both parties claim a different version events.

thread startermacrumors newbie

And did they give her an invoice when she paid? what does that invoice say?

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That's a good point. I'll need to check that. My Mum got it the day before she went on holiday (which added to the disappointment - the camera adapter i bought her was for the new ipad and she wasn't able to find an ipad 2 version at Heathrow Airport) but i'll have her check on her return.

Guest

thanks for the comments. The business was Accounts Computers trading as "Sevenoaks Computers". I'm going to get my Mum to try her credit card company, but my fear is that it's all a bit "he said, she said" for them to refund the purchase.

Selling something for a stupidly high price is not illegal and the fact that the wrong goods were provided is difficult to prove when both parties claim a different version events.

Click to expand...

Your receipt should be enough, hopefully.

The iPad 2 RRP's for £329 in the configuration your Mum bought, and is the only configuration sold now.

They have charged £60 above RRP. The date of purchase alone nails them.

macrumors 68000

I know this store,,,,,run by opportunistic idiots! Kick up a fuss and threaten to report them to trading standards. This is the store right? A friend of mine had loads of trouble after being sold a faulty hard drive here, but in the end they replaced it, but not before trying to blame her for breaking it! Reminds me of the shops on Tottenham Court Road run by Indian/Arabic guys and all the other ones in London area. They are just out to make a quick sale regardless of the state of the customer. Fight for a refund and go to an Apple store instead. Good luck!

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macrumors 6502a

How could a store not have a return policy? Or how long was she on holiday? Is the purchase 14+ days out, 30+ days? I'm sure they should accept some sort of return. Heck in the states stores generally have 30 day return periods where they don't care how much you use the iPad and they graciously accept it back no questions asked.

macrumors 68000

How could a store not have a return policy? Or how long was she on holiday? Is the purchase 14+ days out, 30+ days? I'm sure they should accept some sort of return. Heck in the states stores generally have 30 day return periods where they don't care how much you use the iPad and they graciously accept it back no questions asked.

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These kind of independently run shops feel that the normal customer protection act does not apply to them and can do what they want. Shame so many get away with bad practice....another example being selling used or second hand goods as new.

macrumors 6502a

Wasn't it "You don't mess with the Zohan" that had a great riff on these types of stores? They kind of electronic stores you see at tourist trap locations that sell you the low low bargain priced goods at prices ABOVE retail?

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